Page 47

REESE: What makes you think your firstborn won’t be a girl?

ELI: Sorry, Reese Jr.

I freeze, my stomach doing a barrel roll.

Three dots pop up, then disappear.

Then they pop up again.

ELI: I’m sorry, Reese.

I hesitate before typing a reply out with fingers that feel slightly shaky.

REESE: It’s okay. Just jokes.

ELI: No, I’m sorry about the kiss.

I almost laugh. He isn’t even phased about the kid comment. Then my heart skips against my ribs as I take in what he’s just written.

REESE: It’s fine. You didn’t act alone. We were a little tipsy and got carried away.

I’m not sure who I’m trying to convince. My thumbs hover over the screen.

REESE: But we shouldn’t break the rules again. It’s too complicated.

ELI: We didn’t break the rules.

REESE: What?

ELI: The rule was “don’t *try* to kiss me.” I didn’t try. I think we succeeded, don’t you?

Unbelievable. This time I do laugh. I send him a side-eye emoji, then stick my phone deep in my desk to avoid texting him again.

But I can’t play all that off as jokes. I can’t deny the warm, fuzzy feeling cloaking me like a blanket after a simple text exchange with Eli.

I think of Olivia, the realtor-bot. California was the farthest place I could think of to go when this is all over, without moving out of the country. When I came up with the idea, I told myself it wasn’t running away. That this would be a fresh start. It’s a good plan, but is teaching kids music really what I want to do? I love kids and I love music, so it should feel perfect. But it doesn’t. Maybe that’s because suddenly, the thought of running so far away from here doesn’t have the same appeal as it did a couple of weeks ago.

I stand up, needing desperately to clear my head. Shooting is over for the day, but I still have a restaurant to run. But first, I need a clean shirt. Normally we keep spare button-downs in the storage room at the back of the restaurant, but we moved everything down to the hotel storeroom in the basement so the crew could use the space to store camera equipment. I don’t love it down there—it’s creepy in the basement. Maybe that’s why I let my mind drift back to Eli, and his silly jokes.

And that’s why when I spot Kelly, I’ve got a stupid smile on my face…and I’m too close to her to duck out of view and go a different way without looking way too obvious about it.

Instead, I slow down, a frown drawing over my face. Kelly’s standing next to the water feature, staring absently into the trickle of water that runs through the rocks, meant to emulate the Quince River through the plate glass window on the other side.

At least, I think she’s looking there. She’s wearing a huge pair of sunglasses that obscure her eyes. Together with the red suede coat and mile-high heels she’s wearing, she looks like an actual movie star. My stomach twists with what…jealousy? Concern?

But she’s preoccupied, so maybe I can avoid her after all.

I tuck my head down, holding my breath as I pick up speed again.

“Reese.”

I have to work to keep the grimace off my face as I tip my eyes back up.

I force myself to smile. “Hi, Kelly.”

“Where are you off to in such a hurry?”

“The storeroom.”